Folding table.



No. 653,85l. Patented luly I7, I900. A. T. SMITH.

FOLDING TABLE.

(Application filed on. 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

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Patented July l7, I900.

A. T. SMITH.

FOLDING TABLE.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1899.;

2 Shaets-Sheet 2 3 120 nu i Nrrnn STATES PATENT rrrc ADAM T. SMITH, OF DANVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS.TO WILLIAM C. SYKES AND ELI P. SMITH, OF NORTH DANVILLE, VIRGINIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent ITo. 653,851, dated July 17 1900.

Application filed October 20, 1899. Serial No. 734,202. (No model.)

T ttZZ whom it may concern.- 7 Beit known that I, ADAM T. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in the county of Pittsylvania and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Folding Table, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to folding tables; and one object in view is to provide a sectional ta- IO ble or a table comprising separably-attached sections, each of which is complete in itself, in that it is provided with an independent set of supporting legs located at the corners thereof. The legs of each section are hinged to the frame of their respective section, and each diagonal pair of legs are hinged to fold in opposite directions, but in parallel planes, the legs of one diagonal pair being hinged to fold in planes at right angles to the planes in which the legs of the other diagonal pair fold. The legs whenfolded overlap each other and lie within the plane of the frame of the section or table.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 2 5 vide a locking-strip which not only provides for holding the abutting edges of the tabletop in alinement, but also securely couples the tablesections together, forming a rigid structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of a sectional and 5 folding table constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 8 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section showing the means for locking the sections 0 together. Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of one of the table-sections, showing the legs partially folded and also showing the means for attaching and bracing the extension-leaf. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the 5 hinge connection between the table-sections. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the locking-strip which is interposed between the hinged sections. Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of one of the sections, showing the relation which the legs bear to each other when folded.

' Similar numerals ofreference designate cor bottom surface thereof.

'of the sections of the table-top in proper alinerespondingparts in all the figures of the drawings.

The table is made up of a plurality of sep- 7 arably-connected sections 1, each of which comprises a frame consisting of a table-top section 2 and raiis or strips 3, secu red to the The rails or strips 3 form a rectangular frame, such as is found W in tables now in common use, with the ex- 6b ception that the side rails are extended at their inner ends beyond the cross-rails to form projecting portions 4, which come in contact with each other and form abutting edges 6 at v the points where the table-sections are joined. '65 The sections are connected by hinges 7, secured to the lower edges of the side rails or strips 3, and these hinges are provided with removable headed hinge-pins 8, which pass through the overlapping knuckles 9 of the 76 hinges, the said hinge-pins being held in place by means of pivoted buttons 10, secured to one of the table-sections and arranged to be movedover the heads of the hinge-pins, as shown. By rocking these but- '7 5 tons out of the way the hinge-pins may be readily removed and the sections separated in a manner that will be readily understood. The sections are also provided in the meeting edges of their tops with grooves 11, and when 8o the top portions are in line with each other a metal strip 12 is inserted in the oppositelylocated grooves, said strip being provided at its outer end with a pivoted bail 13, by means of which it may be withdrawn from the grooves. The strip is also provided at suit' able points with openings 14: to receive lockingepins 15, which are inserted through open ings in the table-top, and in this manner the abutting edges of the table-top are locked to the strip 12, and thereby held in rigid relation to each other. The locking-strip 12 at the same time serves to keep the meeting edges ment. p

Each of the sections is provided at its several corners with supporting-legs 16, and each leg is connected, by'means of a hinge 17, to the frame of the table-section. Each leg is cut away at its upper end to leave a recess 18 too for the reception of one of the rails 3 on the under side of the table top when the leg is in its vertical position, said recess 18 providing two bracing-shoulders, one abutting against the inner surface of one of the rails 3 and the other abutting against the lower edge of said rail. The hinge 17 has one leaf connected to the inner side of the table-leg and the other leaf connected to the bottom of the table-top. By this arrangement when the leg is folded a space 19 is left between the top of the leg and the oppositely-located rail 3, in which the lower extremity of one of the other legs is received when all the legs are folded. The legs of .each diagonal pair are hinged to fold or swingin parallel planes, but in opposite directions, and the legs of one diagonal pair fold or swing in planes at right angles to the planes in which the legs of the other diagonal pair fold or swing. The legs when folded thus lie alongside the rails 3 and the lower extremities thereof between the upper ends of adjoining legs and the oppositely-located rails or strips 3. The thickness or diameter of the legs is such as to enable them to lie within the planes of the rails or strips 3, and on account of this the two sections may be swung upon their hinged connection and folded against each other with the bottom of one section lying against the bottom of the adjoining section. This enables the table as a whole to be folded compactly for transportation and storage. Each leg is also provided with a laterally-projecting stud 19, adapted to be engaged by a keeper or hook 20, pivotally mounted on the table-section, whereby the legs are held in their operative vertical positions, the said hooks or keepers, in connection with the shoulders at the upper ends of the legs, serving to brace the legs with relation to their respective table-section.

In connection with each table-section I employ an extension-leaf 21, which preferably has a rabbeted engagement at 22 with the table-top. The leaf 21 has secured to its under side a pair of sectional straps 23, each of which comprises a plurality of sections hingedly connected together, as shown at 24. The strap-section which is secured to the bottom of the extension-leaf is bent out at its inner end to form a hook 24:, which is insertible through a slot or opening 25 in a keeper .or attaching-plate 26, secured to the inner side of the projecting table-top. The leafsection of the strap is also provided along one edge with saw-shaped teeth 27 formed by bending downward one of the edges of'said strap-section and notching the same to form the teeth 27. The strap is shown as comprising three sections, and the intermediate section, which is shorter than the terminal sections, is adapted to bear against the tableframe or against a rest 28 in the form of a stud, while the free terminal section of the strap is adapted to be folded upward until its extremity engages one of the teeth 27, the said free terminal section constituting a brace which is disposed obliquely between the tableframe and the extension-leaf, servingto hold said leaf firmly in its horizontal position. In order to detach the extension-leaf, the terminal sections of the straps are disengaged from the teeth 27, which allows the leaf to swing downward to a vertical position, whereupon the hooked inner ends of the strap-sections which are secured to the leaf may be withdrawn from the slots or openings in the attaching-plates 26 in a manner that will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, strong, and practical sectional table in which the sections may be detached and used [independently, each section beingprovided with an independent set of supporting-legs. These legs may be folded into parallel relation to the table-top and will nest'themselves compactly within the table-frame, enabling these sections of the table to be folded against each other for storage or transportation. It will also be seen that the table-sections are securely locked together and the table-top sections held in proper alineinent with each other; also, that the extension-leaves may be removed from their respective sections, and when attached they are braced by means of the straps which connect them with the tablesections.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor detailspf construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-- V 1. A table comprising a top and hinged legs having their hinges located to dispose the legs at right angles when folded and to bring the strips and a plurality of legs, means foldably connecting the legs to the table-top, said means being located at the side of the legs opposite that adjacent frame-strip which is disposed transverse to the leg when folded,whereby when the legs are folded their free ends will be located between aframe-strip and the upper end of an adjacent leg.

4. In a folding table, the combination with a top and a frame comprising a number of frame-strips, of a set of four hinged legs, each leg being recessed for engagement with the frame, a keeper on the outer face of the frame in operative relation to each leg when the latter is in its unfolded position, the hinge of each leg being located parallel with a framestrip and at the side of the leg opposite said strip whereby when the legs are folded the free end of each leg will be retained between the upper end of another leg and the adjacent frame-strip.

5. A folding table comprising the hinged and separable sections designed to be folded one upon the other each section having a top, a frame comprising strips, and a set of four legs, a hinge connecting each leg to the tabletop, said hinge being located parallel with a frame-strip, and at the side of the leg opposite said strip, whereby when the legs of each section are folded they will lie against the under side of the table-top Within the frame and with the free end of each leg retained between the upper end of another leg and the adjacent frame-strip.

6. In a table, the combination with separable sections having the independent abutting tops grooved in their contiguous edges of a locking-strip engaging at its opposite edges with the grooved contiguous edges of the tops of said sections and confining the latter in alined relation, said strip being withdrawable endwise from the side of the table, substantially as described.

'7. In a foldable table, the combination of the separable sections each having a top, the adjacent edges of said tops of the table-sections having registering grooves, and a locking-strip slidable endwise into and out of engagement with the grooved edges of the tops of said sections one end of said locking-strip being provided with an exposed handpiece, substantially as described.

8. In a foldable table, the combination of the separable sections each having a frame and a top, the frames of the sections being separably hinged and the tops being provided with coincident grooves in their contiguous edges, and a locking-strip insertible endwise in said grooved edges of the tops and withdrawable from one side of the table and without disturbing the hinge-joints between the frames, substantially as described.

9. In a foldable table, the combination of the table-tops arranged to abut at their contiguous edges and provided in said abutting edges with coincident grooves, and a lockingstrip engaging at its opposite edge portions with the grooved edges of the tops, said strip being insertible and withdrawable by an endwise movement to be entirely disconnected from the table, substantially as described.

10. In a foldable table, the combination of the separate sections each having a frame, the separate hinges each having the leaves thereof secured to the frames of the respec tive table-sections and each hinge provided with a headed pintle connecting the leaves thereof, and stops pivoted to a table-frame and engaging the headed pintles to confine the latter in place, substantially as described.

11. A sectional table comprising abutting sections having oppositely-arranged grooves in their meeting edges and provided. with openings, in combination with a removable locking-strip inserted lengthwise within said grooves, and provided with openings and pins inserted through the openings in the tablesections and said locking-strip, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing-as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ADAM T. SMITH.

Witnesses:

B. S. MOTLEY, M. W. MOTLEY. 

